


Scores of Scarlet

by MysticVB



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: BAMF Rey, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Ben Solo needs to get laid, But only if you ask nicely!, Could be bad tagging here, F/M, Humour, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I won't bite, Immortals After Dark Inspired, Lightish, Lots of UST!!, Not Beta Read, Oh! UST!, Rey has a morbid sense of humour, Smartass Poe, Sorry Not Sorry, Supernatural Creatures, Supernatural Elements, darkish, kind of, reluctant hero Finn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-11-22 23:40:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20882582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysticVB/pseuds/MysticVB
Summary: Staying alive wasn't the problem for Rey.  It was dealing with a male that Fate deemed worthy of her.Fate really must have a twisted sense of humour.At least he had a nice pair of fangs.





	1. Time and Eternity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mother's desperation has Torreya "Rey" of the Grey doing something she'd never wanted to do in the first place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AFRAID? Of whom am I afraid?  
Not death; for who is he?  
The porter of my father’s lodge  
As much abasheth me.
> 
> \- Emily Dickinson

It was the light that first woke her.

Here in her...voluntary confined home, she was used to shadows and sporadic moments when she woke from her long dreams. Sometimes years go by before something would come venturing in that would pique her interest or satisfy her baser needs. Without her help they would never leave this labyrinth in the first place. It was not a good thing.

Yet it was rare when someone would come into her prison prepared with a lit torch. Not that it made any difference. With a grace that so quick, quiet and agile to be practically inhuman, she moved away from the light and up into the shadows. A faint flicker of humour almost had her smiling; the stranger was wearing a black cloak and hood, a favourite amongst those that wished secrecy.

She watched as the intruder came closer and stopped right where she had fallen asleep. She frowned in confusion and apprehension, had the stranger seen her? Had she been too slow? She shook her head, it _had_ been a long time since she last fed. Then the stranger reached up and pulled the hood off their face to reveal a lady.

“I cometh ere thee, Torreya of the Grey, to asketh a boon.”

She blinked. Not many humans would ask something of someone that was known to bite. Or know her name. This was turning out odder than Torreya originally thought.

“I beseech thee”

There was a hint of death on that woman that caused Torreya to frown. No, not her scent but a secondary one and not exactly death but of the dying, male. Yong too. Stranger and stranger still. Who was this woman?

“I knoweth ye art cursed. Yond ye art to stayeth hither till the end of days.” The woman said. “And I knoweth what wilt free thee.”

“Then you have made an unwise decision coming here.” Torreya finally spoke.

She was momentarily surprised at how the smaller woman remained composed, even when she turned calmly towards her direction. Anyone else would run when they heard her growl let alone speak. This one, however, either truly knew how to face a dangerous fate head-on or was exceedingly foolish to attempt it. Nonetheless, an intelligent woman to use the language before Torreya was trapped but not one quite willing to realise that others had wondered into her prison over the centuries. Even if the vocabulary got on the vulgar side when they saw her.

It did not matter in the end though, she knew this wasn’t some commoner. The movement of turning to face her had caused the fabric of the stranger's cloak to slide a little, revealing a necklace that Torreya was familiar with, giving away the identity immediately.

“I usually don’t accommodate royalty and not one especially willing to outstay their welcome.”

The woman still did not move from her spot and Rey rolled her eyes at her stubbornness.

“I cannot help you, Queen Leia.”

“Cannot or will not?” the Queen demanded.

“Both.”

Torreya watched her quietly from the shadows as the woman began to tremble but not in fear, the smell was of desperation and the rise of anger. It did not have the sweet and sour notes of fear she remembered from decades before.

“Please my...my son he’s...” she said as tears began to fall.

“Dying. Yes. I can smell it.” Torreya said.

“Please”

“Go back home and tend to your son. You will not find relief here.”

“He’s only a boy.”

“Death is cruel, young Queen, and yet kinder than what you wish for him.”

“And you are cruel to deny him!”

“And you believe he would appreciate my _kindness.”_

She stepped out of the shadows right in front of the Queen, her eyes glowing a brilliant amber against the torch’s light. She kept the amusement off her face when the Queen did not even twitch, not even when she partially opened her mouth to reveal the long sharp canines. Despite the tears streak cheeks, the Queen's brown eyes met her own unflinching.

“I wish my son to live.” The Queen said, her voice strong and sure.

Torreya nearly sighed in exasperation.

“This isn’t some miracle. There are consequences to becoming...like me and he is _young_.”

“Ten.”

“Ten years old and you wish that fate upon him?”

“I know the truth about the change...and the second one.”

Torreya's eyes widened.

“What do you know about the Immortal Secrets? The Gods would put into motion your death in days and I know the capital is too far for you to make it here in time.”

“The sorceress known as Maz informed me.”

“That insane witch is still alive?” Torreya said then half chuckled “Of course she is, and her werewolf lover? Charles Chewbacca?”

“Both are well.”

Torreya laughed again and then sighed, ignoring the feeling of melancholy. “It’s good to know.” Then she straightened up once more. “But I still cannot help you.”

“Maz says you are the only one that can.”

“No, young Queen. I am the only one she could find.” Torreya said, “The rest of my kind stay out of human affairs, the nice ones being in the Eternal Realms and out of reach of Maz’s hands. And I can’t help you.”

“I know how to break the curse. Your imprisonment.”

“And do you know the reasons why I choose it?”

“I do.”

“Then understand that I would do it again in a heartbeat if given the chance to do so. For you to break it will only ignite my ire.” Then Torreya growled irritably. “Now return home to your son.”

“Not without you.” The Queen growled back.

The anger she could smell coming off the Queen did not help her own temper. Yet, Torreya took a deep breath and bent forward so that she was nose to nose with her.

“You say you do but I don’t think you truly understand. There are greater evils than death.”

The Queen’s eyes blazed and took a step forward, forcing Torreya to lean back otherwise she would literally butt heads instead of metaphorically.

“If it comes to that then I will meet them and I will beat them back with my own two hands if I have to.”

She stared at the Queen and then, because she was what she was, started to really look at her. This wasn’t some royal that didn’t take the word ‘no’ as an answer. She was looking at a mother that would move Heaven and Hell just for her child. And she really would break the curse if she didn’t do as she was asked and likely had a contingency plan if Torreya even managed to stop her. A mother’s love was certainly a powerful thing.

Torreya finally exhaled noisily, it was a sound of reluctant finality. A sound she didn't like making.

“I cannot leave this place. _But_—” she lifted a hand to interrupt the Queen’s indignation “—there is one way we can do this without breaking the curse.”

She shouldn’t have been surprised that the Queen had brought her son. She had followed her to the entrance of her prison. The side view of a mountain’s cliff hadn’t changed that much over the centuries. In the early years, when she was particularly bored, she would watch the snow leopards hunt the mountain goats but that ended after a nasty rockslide sixty-six years later. Now though, she could see at least a hundred and twenty soldiers camp below the entrance and another thirty actually on the narrow pathway, guarding a bed. Or really, the one on the bed.

There was even a monk next to the Queen.

She wanted to roll her eyes at that. Like holy objects and water did any significant damage to her.

It was never a good idea to bring the weak or the dying in the presence of a predator. These humans knew that. The number of guards surrounding the bed was attested to that, nevertheless, it was still a stupid move. Predators were opportunistic, had to be if the prey was fast or scare.

And she was hungry.

She only raised her hand up once, looking down at her feet as she did so, to stop the humans coming closer. It had been a very long time since there was more than one person in her prison, their heartbeats were going fast and it was giving her a headache. Only the Queen’s heartbeat was at a normal rhythm.

“My son needs help. If none of you can do your duty calmly. Leave.” the Queen said, obviously noticing Torreya’s stance or perhaps how tense her soldiers were. It did not matter, none of the guards moved from their post.

When Torreya felt her instincts were under control again she approached the bed herself.

She looked down at the boy. If the Queen hadn’t said he was ten she would have thought him to be twelve by how tall he was. His face looked like it was going to grow long with a few constellations of beauty spots. His sickly sweaty skin was paler than his mother's but she didn’t know if he was naturally pale or because of the illness. His nose had the beginnings of looking like his father’s yet, on the balance, his lips were probably going to be poutier. She barely repressed the smile the moment she spotted the most adorable pair of big ears in that thick mop of raven black hair which would generally cover them. In normal circumstances she would have told him they were cute and wait and see if he’d blush, they always did. It was a bonus if they blushed to the tips of those very ears she complimented.

She sniffed and her nose made a beeline straight to his left leg. She lifted the blanket, ignoring the guards' shift in their stance to grab their swords, and got her answer. It had to be a young djieien spider bite by the look of the black veins crawling outwards around the swollen purple-red puncture wound. Three days of agony, three days of hallucinations and three days to die later. The cure was to catch the spider and boil and dry out its heart before consuming it with lemon juice. The poor mortals must have thought it to be a house spider. Maz must have been using all sorts of tracking spells to find it. The reason she failed was that the spider was already dead, probably killed by a servant or most likely the prince upon seeing it and then disposed of in the fire. At that thought, she dropped the blanket again.

Then she leaned down towards his face and opened her senses further. She could hear his heart beating but it was slow compared to others. His breath had an iron tinge to it with a sweet and sharp like a baked berries. But the undertones of death was soon approaching. The journey must have taken its toll on the boy that left her no doubt in her mind.

Tonight he would die.

She briefly wondered if Maz had something to do with it and pushed it aside. Maz would never put such a risk on a dying child.

She then glanced at the Queen once more.

“What is the young Prince’s name?” Torreya asked.

The Queen looked startled at the question - as if surprised that Torreya would even dare ask the question - but rallied back instantly.

“Benjamin, but Ben in private.” the Queen replied.

Torreya smiled softly and looked down at the Prince.

“Ben. If you can hear me, I want you to think of your most happiest memory. Only of your happiest memory.” She said gently as her top canine teeth lengthened into sharp fangs. “And I can guarantee you, all the pain you are feeling will melt away.”

She never performed the ritual on another but she knew what she was about to do wasn’t how it normally went. When it was done she watched the precession go, her eyes on the Prince. How were they going to cope with a ten year that would be stronger than ten men? And he would grow stronger every day.

But, hey, they did leave her dinner for later, so that was something.

She ignored the Monk when he decided to stay behind, knowing he was here for a reason. His scent telling her what the significance of him being there actually meant, she almost chided the Queen.

“How long?” the Monk asked her once they were out of earshot.

“Up to three days,” Torreya said then glanced at the Queen’s twin brother. “Don’t bury him until he starts to smell.”

“Is that part of the change?”

“No. But no necromancer will be able to raise him either.”

“Good.” The Monk said with finality. She raised an eyebrow at that and he continued. “My sister has always been stubborn, the best suited for the role as ruler, but there are some things you must let go and cherish the memories you have of them instead.”

“That is something I sadly agree on.” She said and went to turn away but the monk shifted uneasily then, as if he had something on his mind, and she gave him an inquiring look.

“Will he be a boy forever?” the Monk asked finally.

“No. It doesn’t work that way. He’ll grow up, become a man. Just not human anymore.”

“But your kind are the Undead.”

Torreya sighed heavily and then stretched her hand out towards him. “Does this feel cold and dead to you?”

Tentatively he stretched his hand out to touch her own and she watched with a small amount of amusement when his eyes widened. Cooler by a couple of degrees but still warm enough to be like his, the only way she’d be warmer if she fed recently.

“I don’t understand. Why? How?” the Monk asked.

“The dead can’t give life,” Torreya explained kindly. “It’s against the laws of nature. But if this takes and he reaches his utmost bodily prime he’ll gain true immortality, save for decapitation of the head. Wounds will heal as if he never received them and loss of limbs would be regained, that is if he reaches it. Before then he’ll have the same healing limitations as you.”

“Then where did this undead notion come from?” the Monk asked.

Torreya hesitated, unsure at how much she could tell him before she mentally shrugged, it was bound to come up at some point. “It’s one of the differences between the males and the females when we reach towards the immortal change. While my body continued to breathe after the change his will essentially freeze, in a death-like state, no heartbeat whatsoever. That is until he meets his true one, his bride. My father told me it was like hearing a clap of thunder when his heart started to beat once more. You must warn him though, he should not turn away his bride during the moment.”

“Why not?”

“When the blood starts pumping once again then everything wakes up.”

“I don’t...oh. _Oh_. Um, can’t he wait for it to...go away?”

“It doesn’t _go away_ until she helps him.”

“That sounds...fictional. And non-consensual.”

“It happens that way and she’d only need to stimulate him, skin on skin, no penetration required.”

“Oh...that’s better. I suppose.”

“It’s natural for us but some rather not get into the act of actual mating till there’s at least one conversation. The rest just go with instinct, most likely because they haven’t had sex in centuries. Well, the males anyway.”

“I don’t want to know anymore.”

Torreya felt a swirl of mischief when she said: “But is this some of the stuff he needs to know and you were so polite and curious.”

“...I’ll get you a pen and paper to explain it to him.”

Torreya grinned and for the first time since her imprisonment she laughed. She forgot how humans could be so amusing, especially the young and pure-hearted.

“One more thing,” Torreya said.

The Monk looked more than put upon at that point and her grin deepened.

“Do I wish to hear it?”

“Nothing to cause your cherub cheeks to redden further, Monk.”

“Very well” he sighed.

This was when her grin dropped and cast him such a serious look that had him almost back peddling. 

Good. He would remember it.

“When he starts to crave, and he will eventually, he must never drink straight from the source but from a cup. Think of it like milk from a cow; it has to be filtered first, yes? Animals are fine but those with complex memories like humans are not a good idea. Our memories are in our blood and we can only take so much from others until the madness sets in.” She stepped forward “Do you know the Tale of the Horde?”

“The Legion of Vampires?”

“A faction that broke off from the rest of the populist. They believed in drinking freely and they killed indiscriminately. It took eons to kill them off and mad vampires are severely hard to kill. So when he does reach his immortality make sure he goes to Maz, she can him help from then on. Bring him to the others.”

“Why not you? You would be his...maker.”

She rolled her eyes then. “It would be redundant as I am bound here.”

“But he can learn from you.”

“It’s already a risk for any of you being here. Just take him to Maz if he has questions and leave me be...it’s better this way.”

“You must be lonely here.”

“I do get the occasional wandering traveller and bandits believing this place to be suitable for resting in.”

“No, I mean..."

What he said next had Torreya taking a deep breath. She had been used to it, or least that is what she told herself after the first month. A small piece of loss. Of things that could have been. Things she would be too selfish to even think of now. So she ignored his question, turned and headed back into the shadows of her prison.

“Go home, Monk, I sense your nephew will be fine,” Torreya said.

A distraction.

“He’ll live? Truly?” the Monk asked, his voice trembling a little.

And it worked.

She truly did have a soft spot for humans. Well, the pure-hearted ones anyway.

“Maz wouldn’t have sent you on a foolish errand if there was no hope, now would she?” she said gently.

And she melted into the shadows once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like the first chapter so far. It's been a while since I last wrote, may edit later. Be gentle.


	2. To Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A surprise visitor leads to other surprises for that visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHEN by my solitary hearth I sit,  
When no fair dreams before my “mind’s eye” flit,  
And the bare heath of life presents no bloom;  
Sweet Hope, ethereal balm upon me shed,  
And wave thy silver pinions o’er my head.
> 
> -John Keats

It was the sound of a battle that next woke her.

She knew in an instant that it had been too long since anyone or anything that came venturing in. The wave of dizziness when she managed to stand up nearly sent her back to the floor. That was not a good sign.

Vampires at her age could go years without food provided they developed the skill of Long Dreaming. However, even the most talented of Long Dreamers would eventually need to eat. It was not a sustainable thing.

A shockwave the likes she never felt before her imprisonment had her sent her stumbling against the wall. She grasped the wall, steadying herself again before she slowly made her way to the entrance. She would have gotten further if what was causing the commotion hadn’t barrelled through the doorway like a mad ferret.

***

Finn had thought the worst day of his life was when he realised he couldn’t even remember his real name. They had plucked him from the village when he was young, right from his screaming mother’s arms and killed off all those over the age of six. That’s how it all started and then they would brainwash you. Finn was seven but he was small for his age and so luckily (or unluckily) he survived and was sent into the soldiers' program. You would become one of the finest soldiers of the First Order. To obey orders without question because you _love_ to. To enjoy the harsh punishments for not obeying quick enough was a _blessing_ compared to what they’d do to you if you did not. You belong to the First Order. You give your _everything_ to First Order and the First Order owns you.

But his memories...

Soft, cooing lullabies.

The smell of bread cooking.

The laughter of children.

Mother chiding him for getting his clothes dirty after school but still kissing his cheek anyway.

Happiness.

The screaming and the fire and the blood. So much blood.

And those...those _things_.

How they smiled after they _ate_ her.

He thought the nightmares were over when they put him in the program. Blocking away all the bad memories with drugs and whatever shit they pumped into his veins. They bruised and beaten him into what they called a perfect soldier.

Those that couldn’t make it was what the First Order would say ‘put to better use’ and were never seen again. But everyone knew what they really meant.

You knew when someone was coming close to being ‘discharged from duty’ when the higher-ups were eyeing them and salivating.

Sometimes that wasn’t always the case even if one soldier always performed well.

If you smelled a certain way they’d come for you.

And you always knew never to go back until your wounds had been seen to first and sealed up.

Now Finn did not care.

There was no way he was going back.

He was going to put as much distance between him and the First Order. His first deployment to a village just so the General would find whoever it was that he needed to find in the first place had brought back the memories when the order was given to shoot. He couldn’t.

He wouldn’t.

And the General saw.

He could feel his red eyes on him the whole time.

He would be next.

He _knew_ it.

So, on the way back when they made a rest stop Finn made an excuse that the call of nature was upon him and as soon as he was out sight and earshot he legged it.

That was two days ago.

He managed to sell off most of his heavier armour for lighter gear for a better head start. Slept for four hours and kept moving for twenty. Water was what proved to be his undoing. Someone in the previous town must have given up his description when he bought enough water to get through the pass to Alderaan.

Now they’ve caught up because of course, they had the _lizard horse things_.

Oh, and _guns._ Lots and lots of state of the art _guns._

Finn almost felt gratified that the Captain deemed him worthy enough to be hunted down for such blatant disloyalty. If it wasn’t for the sheer terror causing through his veins he would have proverbially saluted that the Ginger Nutjob not to send the vampires after him too. Only to give him the middle finger afterward because only _R’zan_ would bring the cannon to kill him!

The over-eager achiever _bastard_.

The Bloody Captain’s little teacher’s pet in cruelty.

If _he_ killed him then he was going to haunt his ass. He didn’t know _how_ but he _will_ find a way.

The only way he would be able to get away from them on foot was to climb up the mountains. The cliffs and the sheer drop would make the lizard horses nervous and the cloudy mists that surrounded the mountain would act as a camouflage. The people of the previous town had warned him that snow leopards and mountain goats live in the terrain and were territorial. People could easily die up there.

But that wasn’t the worst thing about the mountain, the town people told him. There was something up there that had even the most dangerous bandits come screaming down the mountain and beg for a priest and sanctuary in some prison that only they would have the only key to it. Others said that the Town’s Practical Thinker thought it was high time to put that nonsense to rest. He came days back later, whiter than first days of snow, telling the Mayor that whatever was up there told him to thank the bandits for the necklace but it had eaten better when they drunk the wine. That was enough to have bandits turning to the cloth for the rest of their lives.

Finn would have listened to the Town rumours. If that crazy lady hadn’t said: “Oh don’t mind them, the mountain’s just cursed.”

He’d seen some horrifying stuff during his time in the First Order but curses were not one of them. Curses do not get people killed. People and other things kill people. Therefore, they did not exist.

Some part of him believed that crazy lady goaded him into taking the mountain path after twenty-five minutes of outrunning his former comrades. The gear he wore now may have been better suited for the climb but not the altitude. Either he would be caught or the freezing temperatures were going to end his life. He would take the latter if it meant R’zan wouldn’t end him first.

He had just pushed himself onto the ledge when the cannon went off. He nearly lost his footing then. He scrambled, crawled to the wall, bracing himself against it as the loose rocks slid over and past his head, his hands automatically covered it in protection.

He was going to die here.

So close to freedom and he was going to die here.

He already used up the ammo in his gun to hunt. It was ironic, a master at shooting and now he couldn’t use his best skill in this situation. Hell, the reason he was in this situation was that he had chosen not to shoot.

Damn it!

He glanced up, looked ahead of him. There was a path that led straight to...a cave?

It would be dangerous. He thought that they might block him in and then remembered R’zan’s need for..._confirmation_. If he was going to survive it was going to be in there. He would have to hide in the shadows and then take them out one by one. Even that was going to be difficult to prove. If the General ever thought of lining his troops from tallest to smallest he knew he wouldn’t even be near the ten-thousandth tallest one. Hell, he wasn’t even that stocky. Which was why he made it his mission to be the best shooter there. 

What would he give for a loaded gun?

When the last pebble went past him he ran for the cave. For a moment he thought he ran passed someone but that didn’t dare stop to check if was seeing things. The lighting in this dark place was already tricking his senses. There were a few streams of light coming from somewhere he couldn’t identify but the only thing that was truly illuminating the passages was the glowing fungus and algae. It was barely sufficient to let him know where the walls were but not adequate to tell him how far the passage was or if the floor was safe to tread. He had to move carefully now at any moment he could slip—

There was a sudden flare of firelight up ahead. 

He blinked.

Definitely that warm yellow-orange colour that fire gives off not the standard white that the troopers use. Perhaps someone lived here. In that case, he was going to have to warn them, he wouldn’t want anyone innocent dying because of him. When he finally made his way to he found no one, only a small fire just recently lit in what he believed to be inside a massive cavern. It had to be a massive cavern, it felt too open and there was this _depth_ in those shadows too, he could get lost in it. But that wasn't what was making him pause. The lack of ash in the little firepit told him it was hardly used, if never at all.

He mentally swore.

He’d been _lured_ in this direction and he, like the desperate moron he was, fell for it.

He nearly swore out loud because now he could hear his ex-comrades coming up close behind him.

“_Over here.”_ someone whispered so quietly it could have been the wind.

His head snapped in the direction and found no one but an inviting alcove, almost hidden by what looked like to be rocks. Hearing the troopers coming closer he quickly made his way into the alcove and ducked down to hide there. He wasn’t surprised that no one was there.

It must have been the wind.

Because the fire went out seconds later.

He barely stopped blurting out the list of expletives on the tip of his tongue when knew they were just meters away from his position. They were better prepared too, they all either carried glow-sticks or white flare torches.

“Oh Finn, that’s pathetic. Do you really think extinguishing the fire is going to stop us from finding you?” R’zan said.

“He couldn’t have gone far, sir”

Finn logged that voice as Wren. Which meant R’zan was using the Delta Storm-Trooper team: Wren, Teedo, Elric, Drake and what’s his name...new guy...Ason? Well, the uniform looked new and he knew that was the new guy. It didn’t matter, they were all big men with big weapons.

Big trouble.

“Spread out,” R’zan said with dark enjoyment.

Finn flinched.

Yep, big trouble. This was definitely not a good day to be a fugitive.

In panic, he looked around his sort-of-safe-place to see if there was something he could use and all he could find was pebbles and a tiny rock. He pursed his lips in thought. If he could throw the rock in another direction maybe he could quietly sneak out. As long as he didn’t hit Ason who was making his way to him.

Or was it Aran?

It was Aran, wasn’t it? Or Atton? Something like that.

He’ll figure that out later.

Finn was about to take aim when what’s-his-name unexpectedly disappeared sideways with a yelp. The group turned and shot in the direction he went but he was long gone when they finally manage to steady their sources of light.

Frozen in his spot, Finn just about remembered to breathe.

What...just happened?

On the opposite end, Drake was next. A rope suddenly shot out of the shadows, wrapped around his ankles, yanked him down to his side and he screamed as it pulled him into the shadows, clawing at the ground. It was like an octopus as it drags its squirming prey into its lair. The group tried to go after him but the screaming ceased almost instantly.

“The hell!” R’zan snapped.

“Sir, we should leave,” Wren said, concern.

Hell, Finn itched to run out of there too.

“Negative, Finn is here and he will answer for this,” R’zan growled.

That feeling Finn thought he was feeling about running? Disappeared.

“Sir, he has proven that he can take us by surprise in here. We must retreat and wait him out.”

“And if there’s another exit? No, we get him now.”

The moment R’zan looked towards a different direction was hardly second when Wren snatched upwards. He didn’t have time to yell it seemed but Finn had seen his feet jerk, hitting the back of R’zan’s head as he disappeared. His glow stick dropped to the floor another second later.

It was enough to illuminate the gun that...he really needed to remember that guy’s name because he was remarkably helpful in leaving his gun behind when he was taken. He’ll have to wait until all their backs were turned as Finn could clearly see through his little hidey-hole that they were panicking.

“FINN YOU COWARD! COME OUT!” R’zan snapped, waving his baton in frustration.

Finn would except he wasn’t the one doing this and, oh yeah, he wasn’t _stupid_.

Something flew into both Elric and Teedo, knocking the men down, their heads hitting the stone wall and promptly both fell unconscious. Turned out the thing that hit them was what’s-his-name’s equally unconscious body.

Whatever it was it turned out to be a lot stronger than Finn first thought. Grabbing and dragging someone away was one thing, throwing their two-hundred-pound body that included the armour they were currently wearing five meters across a room into two men who weighed two-hundred pounds each that included armour _and_ knocking them out like that was certainly another thing.

And R’zan wasn’t getting it.

He, _Finn_, could not even bench press eight pounds (that included the bar). It was ludicrously well-known fact about him, it was why he was always found at the firing range practicing to make up his lack of strength. How could he gain that sort of power in two days? He would have shouted it back at R’zan...but he currently liked his little safe spot a bit too much right now. If his scared mind was going to be honest with him it would say his safe spot was starting to feel comfy, homey even.

“I ORDER YOU TO COME OUT!” R’zan bellowed.

Something hit the ground loudly behind R’zan. He whirled around, the baton ignited an electric storm on one end and was caught with a noisy smack against a delicate looking hand that failed to disclose the enormous strength behind it. The shock of the new person stopped R’zan momentarily and gave Finn enough time to take in the figure.

A skinny woman, maybe an inch taller than him, dressed in a corset & blouse, breeches, knee-high lace boots and hooded cape all in dark grey save for the black corset & blouse. Her skin was a pale olive-peachy colour, straight nose with high cheekbones that looked hollow. Her crystal clear hazel eyes stared straight into R’zan blue. She looked like she couldn’t go even one round with a newborn kitten but she held the baton easily. She raised an eyebrow airily, clearly bored.

It was what broke the spell.

A sharp hiss and she was forced back. The reason made clear when R’zan produced a second baton. Her right thigh was smoking with burnt flesh and cloth but she didn’t to have a problem walking on it. She dodged the flurry of swipes from the electric batons, even twirled away when R’zan tried to lunge at her with them. The light the batons gave off made it hard for Finn to keep track of their movements in the dark.

One thing was for certain was when she tried to hit R’zan in the head she would have the batons inches away from striking her. It made no sense to Finn. The woman must be, had to be, stronger than R’zan and fast enough to kill him...except all of team Delta was alive. Why?

Another lunge but this time she caught R’zan and held both his wrists, keeping the electrified ends away from her. She tried to shake him around but he anticipated the move, moving with her, even tried to kick her knees. She retaliated by snapping forward to bite. It was a nice thought to believe R’zan wouldn’t let the batons go, but R’zan was an evil bastard. The second she snapped forward, they fell, the speed and trajectory helped by R’zan flicking them right at her. She only managed to back away to save her face, her chest wasn’t so lucky. She grasped at her injury, hissed at the man, ready to— 

Finn shot him.

Right in the heart and down he went.

Instant kill.

One moment he was watching the fight and next he ended it by using Aden’s gun—ADEN! That was the name!

AND HOLYSHIT HE KILLED R’ZAN.

Ding dong, that bastard’s gone!

The happy feeling plummeted when he noticed that not only did he shot R’zan but the bullet had gone straight into her, the bleeding hole in her chest was a stark contrast against her skin.

“Oh god, I’m so sorry!” He whimpered. "I didn't mean to!"

He’s just...

She has just been trying to save his ass and he ends up killing her.

How could he do this?

He didn't mean to!

But she wasn’t looking at him.

She was staring down at R’zan, transfixed, eyeing the dead man with shock. Around R’zan’s dead body the blood oozed and pooled. He watched as she closed her eyes and shuddered, as if maintaining some sort of control. Yet she didn’t look like she was about to keel over. 

Possible shock? 

He needed to do something.

But what? He was only ever good putting bullets _into_ his targets, not out of people.

He needs to...

He needed to...

Why wasn’t she...oh no...

The bullet went straight through the man and into her, Finn knew it did, but now what remained was smooth skin. Then he heard the telltale clink of something small and metal hitting the ground. Even in this poor light, he watched as the bullet rolled away from her foot, clinking against every dip and bump of the rocky floor.

His eyes widened.

Finn slowly looked up and stared shakily at the woman. She was one of _them_.

Then she looked back at Finn. When her eyes met his and he knew in an instant he was in deeper trouble than he originally thought. 

“You killed him.” She said.

“I thought he was...going to kill you.” He said, glad that he managed to say it without whimpering.

“Do you realise...? No, I shouldn’t even bother explaining.” She then took a step over the dead man and moved towards him. “Who is the ruler of these lands?”

“Ruler?”

“Yes. Ruler. Queen, King, Sovereign. You know, _ruler_.”

“No one. No one ruled since the First Order.”

“The Skywalkers are gone?”

“We don’t....there was a fire. Nobody knows.”

“Who are the First Order?”

“An empire led by vampires.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Please don’t kill me. I only wanted to get away from them.”

She looked disgusted then. “I’m not going to kill you. Although others would for your idiocy.”

“Please.”

She sighed. “Stand up. I must check the entrance and you need to leave.”

“You really not going to...eat me?”

“I’m not going...just what has been happening? No soldiers have ever come this far in, even for a traitor.”

“I’m not—”

“You’re wearing the same boots and gloves.” She interrupted sharply. “And you aimed the rifle without hesitating to shoot him, a mark of a trained killer.” Then she tilts her head, softening. “But not one of heart, you don’t have the stomach for it. So you ran.”

Finn pursed his lips and gave up, this woman was a lie detector. “Ok, I ran, I couldn’t watch as everyone was so blindingly killing those innocent villagers.”

“For the...other vampires?”

“They were trying to find someone. Someone important. The old guy killed himself before they could even get the information.”

“But they didn’t happen to tell you who it was.” She sighed again. Then she turned around, bent down, grabbed the R’zan’s ankle and pulled the corpse along towards the entrance as though he weighed nothing more than a single feather. “You coming or not?”

“What are you doing?”

“If my assumptions are correct then I am going to need a snack for the journey.”

Finn blanched.

“You’re going to eat him!?” he blurted.

She stopped and turned to give him a look. “You offering?”

He nearly fell backwards at that.

“Ah, well, no but he’s...” he stuttered.

She continued to look coolly at him, the hints of irritation simmering beneath the surface. 

“If you have been starving for weeks and a piece of bread had fallen right in front of you are you willing to it ignore it because it has hit the floor?”

“But he’s...he’s...”

“You two were close?”

“Well, no, he was an asshole.” He said, without a hint of guilt.

“And you’re thinking of my health. Very kind of you but I have eaten far worse.”

***

The sun had just dipped below the horizon when they made their way to the exit. Finn took a deep breath, happy to leave the confines of that place but still concerned there was a vampire near him and the protection of the sun was gone.

“Listen to me very carefully.” She said. “If the barrier is still intact you will not need to worry about me or this place ever again. You’d only need to go your merry way and I can stay where I belong.”

Finn frowned in confusion.

“You’re stuck here?” he asked.

“Of my own volition.” She confirmed. “I only ask that you would dispose of these men so they will not know of this location. It is imperative that you do this. Please.”

“What is there to say—”

“I kept you safe from them. Why would I kill you _now_?”

“A loose end?”

“I get enough idiots wandering up here, but soldiers are taken seriously.” She tilts her head as if examining him from a different perspective would help. “You would be repaying your debt to me by doing what I ask. Please do this.”

He nodded his agreement in reluctance and she nodded back happily. She then took a deep breath and reached out. Much to Finn’s dismay she touched something. It was gold and see-through. It sparked and simmered, twitching as though it had some form of life. A strange barrier that only she could touch.

She looked more concern now and started to lean forward onto the hand. The golden air rippled like water around hand, then like a thick syrup oozing around it before rippling like water once more. Then with a little flex, she was able to push through and out.

“Damn” she muttered and stepped forward.

Finn had hoped that she would still be trapped. He was not a fan of vampires, even if this one had saved his life.

“What now?” he asked.

She settled down by the edge of the cliff and grabbed and pulled R’zan’s body over to her like some oversized doll. It was a bit disturbing in Finn’s opinion like she was sitting down for a picnic.

“I eat and then I make my way to the Takodana.” She replied.

Hope, real _hope,_ bloomed for the first time in Finn.

“Takodana. Like the other side of Naboo and Coruscant and Yavin? Way _way_ on the other side?”

“Yes.”

“I’m coming with you.”

“You wish to travel with me, a vampire?” she said, she briefly paused in her attempt to tear off R’zan’s armour, like she about to break open a well-cooked lobster.

“You don’t know the world anymore. It’s changed since...a very long time you have been in there.”

“You just want protection and a fast way out.”

“In exchange for my guidance? Yes.”

She rolled her eyes. “Very well. Just try and keep up.”

“I’m Finn.”

“I’m...Rey.”

He didn’t mind her eating habits after that. Well, not so much with this particular o’dourves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to stop writing late at night. People might get the wrong idea here.
> 
> Anyway, hope you've enjoyed the chapter and if you can please leave feedback.
> 
> :)


	3. Iron

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who's in control?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am a soldier on my own  
I don't know the way  
I'm riding up the heights of shame  
I'm waiting for the call, the hand on the chest  
I'm ready for the fight and fate
> 
> -Woodkid

It was a sight for sore eyes. The IIum Keep was the half way point between Coruscant and Mustafar, the stronghold for all vampires. But for the Black Knight, he was tired, aching all over and needed a good bath. His black protective gear against the sun and armour personally needed to be checked and cleaned. The carriage and its occupants he was guarding along with his most trusted knights needed to be seen to by the staff. His knights were going to be out of commission for the next day or so to recuperate. Most of all his black hipposaurias, Sàmhach, needed to be seen to too.

The creatures looked something crossed between the world’s fastest racehorse and the offspring of a komodo dragon and iguana. They only came about when the Magi dropped a magical bomb that knocked out the use of certain technologies, the ones that would have been useful to vampires. Like air travel.

Now the world’s technology and lifestyle seemed to be something mashed between several eras and what people once thought was just fantasy and fairytales. And within this problem came the lack of automobiles.

They were around and they worked in certain places but there was a limited supply of fuel now and so most people now had to travel by solar power vehicles (which for obvious reasons he can’t use) and how they did two-hundred years ago. Except now it wasn’t just horses you could use.

The hipposaurias came from the Eternal Realm, a place that he heard of but never visited. It was said to be the birthplace of the vampires and where many had returned after the Great Defeat, the General told him. He wasn’t sure about how he felt about that.

The General told him that the sun there did not harm them and did not give off a yellow colour but blue. There were plenty of forests and game and the cities had sky-scrapers so tall that there was another city onto itself. It sounded too good to be real but it was.

And it had been locked away by the Magi.

He didn’t know how that could be. The Magi, such as the witches and warlocks, seemed completely loony in his opinion. Not that he didn’t think that they would be able to press the button but that didn’t seem to be inclined to do so without someone paying them to do it. They were magical mercenaries after all and when it came to strength they were the weakest of the immortals, they were nearly on the levels of human strength. But piss them off and even the strongest of lykaes, the strongest of all the Immortals of Lore, quivered in fear. Other than that they seemed to be the nature loving and balance kind, so it was strange.

Who knows, maybe they got tired of Global Warming.

It was still a pain in the ass though. He remembered travelling distance used to take a third of the time than what Sàmhach could cover in a day and she was a fast one. Big and strong too, had to be to carry his weight and gear. Yet there wasn’t a human he had met that wasn’t wary of hipposaurias. At a distance they looked like a horse, up close you saw the scales, the four-toed and talons on each leg, that beak-like mouth with those knife-sharp teeth and amber eyes. There were two other things that separated them from the horse. The females were bigger and they were omnivores. 

Needless to say, no one dared leave them hungry. After one battle and the food supplies were low the General gave the order to have the hipposaurias clean up what was on the battlefield. It was spotless by the time the Black Knight came back from another battle weeks later. You still found the occasional small pieces of half-digested armour in the stables. It had not been a good day when he learned that their own dead had been devoured too.

He had just placed Sàmhach into her stall when he heard a conversation outside.

He didn’t like what he heard.

It was not a good day at all.

***

It was the sound of the opening doors did General Armitage Hux look up from his meal, a young girl barely fifteen from the village of Twi’lik. He had told his guards that he did not wish to be interrupted and would have started hissing had he not seen they were on out cold on the ground. His eyes drifted back up to the lone dark figure that caused all of this.

The Black Knight.

“Who gave the order to kill the villagers?” he growled.

The General rolled his eyes and pushed the girl away, nearly breaking her arm in the process if the shriek was anything to go by. The girl ran and sniffled her way out, seemingly ignored by the Black Knight, but Hux was not fooled. Between the two of them, Hux was better at being a vampire. Cool, calm and collected. Like ice. Like his ‘dead’ body.

“Kylo. We’ve been over this. We needed to send a message.” Hux said coolly.

“At who? What enemy?” Kylo demanded.

Kylo, on the other hand, was passionate, fiery and unkempt. But useful. Oh so useful. Only the most dangerous of his enemies met the Black Knight. For someone that had barely become immortal, he was incredibly powerful, much more powerful than even his three hundred year old self. Impossible but true and yet there was softness in him that Hux did not understand how it came to be. That was pathetic and _useful_ too. He could never overpower this vampire with mere strength but words. He only needed _words_.

“We’re vampires. We have many enemies.” Hux said, giving him a ‘duh’ look.

“And the children? The elderly? They were just farmers Hux!” Kylo snapped.

“They welcomed the conspirator San Teka into their homes,” Hux said, then raised an eyebrow. “You recognise that name?”

“He was...”

“A friend of the Royal Family, yes I know,” Hux said, dismissively. “He had the information we needed and he poisoned himself before I could get to him in time. None of the Officers that volunteered could extract the information from his corpse either. Their bodies are being cremated as we speak, may they rest in peace.”

He knew what he said was the wrong thing when Kylo went so still that it would have put statues to shame. Ever since Kylo started wearing the black helmet visor Hux always felt somewhat unsure how to read him. He had the most expressive eyes on a vampire, a weakness now covered by that blasted helmet. It always gave away what he was thinking. Now though, Hux was certainly able to read the body language.

It said: WARNING.

The Black Knight stared at him silently and then took a step forward. Then another until he was right in front of Hux seething, using his impressive height to his full advantage. It took all of the General’s will power to tell every single muscle not to tense suddenly to run. Despite how well his armour covered the Black Knight, Hux could practically taste the rage at the back of his throat.

“You made new officers into vampires?” Kylo hissed.

Careful, he had to be careful here.

He could see the other vampire talons peeking out of the leather gloves, ready to slit his throat.

“They wanted to prove themselves. I gave them the chance.” Hux said, calmly. “And they volunteered to extract San Tekka’s memories. They failed.”

“And did you wait until they were immortal? _Before_ you allow them the chance?”

“Do I look like to be their mother, Kylo? They were warned and they did it anyway.”

“Hux, is that the truth?” Kylo growled.

Hux stopped himself from shifting in his seat, natural-born vampires could not lie.

“Is it?” Kylo pressed.

“They were given the information they needed to know,” Hux said, hoping that would be enough.

“Including the information that they would not rise from the dead again?” Kylo said.

He almost swore when he twitched. A tell of his. It may have been a small tell but nothing was too small for Kylo perceptive eyes.

“Why did you not inform them?” Kylo asked.

“They were proving to be...difficult to control,” Hux admitted. “They were picking off my soldiers. I gave them a choice. Prove they could control themselves by doing this task or die.”

“And they died anyway.”

“Kylo, they were no use to me. To us. To _our_ cause.” Hux said. “It was foolish of me to turn them in the first place, I admit, but now they have served a better purpose. Whatever San Tekka had taken to enact his timely death must have been magically laced. Therefore, San Tekka has links with the Magi Community. If we can find their stronghold we can find someone that could bind his spirit to our will and get him finally talk.”

“And are you going to give the order to kill them off too? All the Magi? Like you did in the village?”

Hux sighed and stood, sensing Kylo wasn’t going to budge without the right persuasion.

“I see you’re still upset, I too would be,” Hux said with a gentleness that was against his nature. “But they were holding an enemy. What is to say that if we let them live that another little village wouldn’t do the same?”

He sensed Kylo’s hesitation, heard the crack in his angry armour. He went in for the kill, metaphorically.

“And then we would have a much bigger problem to contend with. A rebellion. We can’t have that now, now could we?”

Hux could feel that the Black Knight didn’t want to but finally relaxed. 

“See? My way is _always_ better, old friend.” Hux said, patting him on the shoulder. “Now, how was your mission going? Found any females of our kind?”

“Yes.”

“Any of them from the Eternal Realms?”

“None.”

Hux sighed. “Well, we can’t have the ladies waiting.”

“I’ll be taking my leave,” Kylo said, pushing the General’s hand off his shoulder.

“Oh? Somewhere important to be?” Hux said.

“Unlike you, Hux, I don’t go country to country by carriage. I don’t sleep until I reach my destination or the nearest shelter.” Kylo said a hint of a snarl echoed each word.

With that, he left, closing the doors behind just as the unconscious guards were getting up and stumbling a bit.

Hux frowned.

Yes, _words_ were good.

For now. 

***

Kylo kept himself from charging down the hallway, amongst the shadows by habit. He was still angry, still mad at Hux’s methods but what was he to do? It made sense and yet...it felt so _wrong._

Armitage had been his friend for so long but he should have known he would not like unnecessary bloodshed. What _he_ knew was unnecessary bloodshed. Yet he did it anyway. He remembered the conversations they had, about righting the wrongs and bringing peace to so much chaos and now _this._

He just wanted peace.

_Real_ peace.

The one he had when he hadn’t a care in the world.

When he had his friends and family laughing with him.

The one that he used to have before all this shit happen to him.

He couldn’t get any peace when he was a _vampire_. Vampires were the banes to everyone’s existence. A bane to live as one.

_Monster_ they’d scream.

You never got a second look other than one in fear. At first, yes, it was extraordinary to find he could do things that no human could. So much power at his fingertips and he was learning faster than he thought was possible, the progeny they said. Now, goddamnit, _now_ he should have appreciated the time he had before because now he couldn’t enjoy the simple pleasures other drinking blood. 

Since his heart stopped beating earthly food, human foods, taste like ash in his mouth. His senses were only heightened in the hunt, everything else was dulled. What was worse since his immortal change he couldn’t even release his anger and frustrations in any other means that wasn’t violent. 

He would mentally curse every time he thought of that day—

“...damn place was a maze. It was so dark, just full of shadows. We were lucky to get out when we did. Took us ages to get Wren out, the poor bastard wouldn’t stop gibbering.”

“So where’s your armour?”

“Traded for some horses, the Traitor had taken our money and guns as well so we couldn’t use that for bartering.”

He paused and listened in.

“So, where’s R’zan?”

“Found outside dead. He must have made his way out bleeding before he’d succumb.”

“Can’t say I miss that asshole.”

“Did any of you see what it was?”

“Wren said it was a ghoul or a ghost but Drake said it was too strong and solid be one. He also said it had craws.”

“A demon or a fury?”

“What’s a fury?”

“A creature born from the darkest rage and brought to life by the thirst of revenge, or so the legend goes. They look like us but have these enormous claws and purple eyes. Their screams can burst a man’s eardrum and shatter windows in a three-mile radius. The Gamma Tracker team had to deal with them once. Once was enough for them.”

“Wouldn’t be. It was too quiet when it attacked us.”

“You sure it wasn’t Finn?”

“You know Finn was one of the worst fighters here, I’m surprised he wasn’t on permanent janitor duty. Even in night-combat, he held one of lowest scores, and he’s not even a novice.”

“Probably why he ran.”

“I thought it was to do with that village.”

“Spineless. Orders are orders. We’ve all seen worse and we’ve never run.”

“You’d run if..._they_ started to sniff about.”

There was a collective shudder amongst the group.

“Look, one of you Delta’s will have to tell the General. He’ll want to know what happened to the Traitor.”

“The _Traitor_ escaped by the grace of whatever the _fuck_ saved his _life_. We don’t know which way he went and he has taken our mounts in the process. He could be anywhere now.”

“If he’s going all the way through that mountain pass then he’ll be heading to Alderaan first.”

_Mountain pass. Alderaan?_

“Or D’Qar.”

“What about the new kid, Aden?”

“Still being seen by the medics. He’d been beaten up the worst. Was quiet the whole way back.”

“You think he saw what it was?”

“Probably. Too scared to say anything.”

Kylo shifted deeper into the shadows once more, he had heard enough and exited out the nearest window. He was going to get answers.

It wouldn’t take him long to get to the medic bay. He knew all the short cuts, most being jumping from one roof to another before entering through a different window and walking down another corridor. It never takes him long when he knows where he has to be to get what he wants. His sense of direction never let him down before. When he opened the double doors of the medic bay he ignored the double-takes and the stares of the many people there.

He knew what they were thinking.

He wasn’t in the mood to be..._considerate._

“Is there an officer named Aden here?” he demanded.

A medic hastily pointed him in the direction of a room and scrambled away when Kylo walked towards his objective. Patients and staff naturally backed away from him, like deer away from a large jungle cat. He entered the room and stood still, his eyes immediately fell on who knew to be Aden. The other two people aside from himself and the patient was a doctor and a nurse, now scared. He ignored the fear, that wasn’t what he wanted right now.

“The Black Knight” the nurse uttered in soft terror.

“Leave” Kylo commanded.

They didn’t need to be told twice. Against some ethical and medical oath he swore doctors and nurses practiced both the medical staff left the room at once. Leaving the terrified patient alone with him, the_ Black Knight_. 

_Kylo Ren_.

It didn’t take Aden long to blabber.

“Y-you know, don’t you?” Aden asked. “About the girl.”

Something else clicked in Kylo’s mind.

“What girl?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any thoughts who that could be? ;)
> 
> I know it's slow but it shall be picking up soon.


End file.
